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"But few people would deny that the Internet is the wave in publishing's future."
--Katherine Arline, Editor of The Paumanok Review
I won't be one of those people who deny it, but there's a reason I rarely review e-zines. Considering the mass of e-zines, I think the wave looks flat. However, that's not the case with The Paumanok Review. Several years of watching the wave roll in has shown me that the future is littered with a lot of literary sites that are either electronic extensions of already established print journals, or aspiring writers who (though I'm sure their intentions are good) have started their own e-zines which seem to emphasize the fact that they publish more than what they publish. Between the stodginess and the amateurish showmanship of these two spectrums, Katherine Arline has crafted an e-zine that reflects the dedication that's seen in most print publications without the cheap "click-and-send" feel of most e-publications that somehow throw out quality along with the cost of overhead.
TPR is a good example of where e-publishing ought to be heading. The site is graphically slick, yet not overwhelming. It's easy to navigate with the publication divided into four sections; poetry and prose, art, essays and then the guidelines and so forth. The reader is also given a sample of exactly what he'll be reading before clicking on a particular link. After a link has been chosen, a banner on top of every page offers a way back, or to a different section. The only downside to the overall look is that some of the more elaborate fonts appear fuzzy on a LCD monitor.
As for content, in TPR's welcoming message, Katherine Arline points out that they "publish new and emerging writers and artists aside the more established." I've found this to be true as she publishes writers with varying credits to their name, even a couple writers making their Internet debut. The overall flavor of the publication was difficult for me to pin down, a positive comment on the variety of work, but what I personally noticed was a preference to free verse poetry and thoughtful fiction and essays.
Overall, I believe this publication is one to keep an eye on as well as possibly submit to. TPR has recently taken a face lift that shows a continuous desire to change and improve. I also feel it's a good market for both seasoned and raw writers. For publication, contributors receive a free classified advertisement on the site, and repeated contributors can place free banner ads on the site. Any kind of compensation from an e-zine is a rare thing. So this, along with consistent quality literature and eye for presentation and design, adds a hopeful swell to the wave of publishing's future.
Sources; Spring and Summer issues of The Paumanok Review and a press release available on their web site
